Series Synopsis: The world of Verre is a strange and wonderful place filled with strange, bewitching landscapes, hidden planes and daunting dangers. In the midst of this wonder and beauty is a harmonic anarchy. Earth and heaven lie opposed and mankind wars with itself as well as the fearsome beasts they live alongside. It is the right setting for myths and legends. Empires and kingdoms, heroes and villains, all rise and fall. Men, women and daemons compete on this stage seeking godhood, making names for themselves and establishing legacies of their own. Born into one of these legacies is Valerian Steelborn of the House of Cragsveil. Blessed with keen acumen and remarkable abilities he steps into a world he expects a lot out off and it him. How far would he go and what legacy would he leave behind? Tags: Qihuan / Xuanhuan, Action, Fantasy, Adventure, Martial Arts, Magic, Politics, Cultivation, Team Battles, Multiple Realms (Anything more would spoil so I’ll update this as they appear in the book) Announcement: HoGW will celebrate it's one year anniversary on the 13th of July. The celebration will take place on our new site LupineKing.com. We hope you'll be there! Other Stuff: This novel is now on Royalroadl as well. Please drop by and rate it or give it a review. Link I work with, sinisterSonnet, the best editor I have ever met. However no one is infallible no matter how good they are so I would appreciate it if you tell me if there's anything that needs correcting. While this story is based on Asian concepts and themes as well as the numerous fantasy literature and comic books I been reading since forever, there are a lot of things (names, customs, creatures,etc.) borrowed from my culture as well. They might be a little confusing for both Asians and Westerners alike. Let me know if there is anything you want clarified. Please bear in mind that I am still learning. I want this to be a great story and I will do what I can to make that happen. My goal is to become better and any support, comment, criticism, suggestion or feedback that can help me and this story will be greatly appreciated. Schedule: The update schedule, for now at least, will be three times a week; Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. So once during weekends and twice on weekdays. All rights reserved Table of Contents: Book One: Hatchling Spoiler Part I: The Magistrate's Grandson Chapter One: The Magistrate's Grandson I Chapter Two: The Magistrate's Grandson II Chapter Three: Outstanding Talent? Chapter Four: Clan Matters Chapter Five: Essence Theory Chapter Six: The Manifold Elemental Incarnations Chapter Seven: Arcane Baptism Chapter Eight: Harriers and Cluders Chapter Nine: Complications I Chapter Ten: Complications II Chapter Eleven: Left With One Chapter Twelve: The Hope Not Lost Chapter Thirteen: Commander Vorm's Visit Chapter Fourteen: Commander Vorm's Mission Chapter Fifteen: Let Loose Chapter Sixteen: Contradicting Views? Chapter Seventeen: ... Of Guile and Force Chapter Eighteen: Setting Out Chapter Nineteen: Hunting with Grandma Chapter Twenty: Hunting with Grandma II Chapter Twenty-one: Innocence Lost Part II: The Awakened Legacy Chapter Twenty-two: Chapter Twenty-three: Chapter Twenty-four: Chapter Twenty-five: Part III: The Zebre Book Two: Fledgling Spoiler Part I: Guardian Spirit Chapter One: ...Of Offers and the Lack Thereof Chapter Two: The Stormhawk Summons Chapter Three: When Before Your God... Chapter Four: A Legacy In Doubt Chapter Five: Gifts of the Divine Chapter Six: Dinner with Family Chapter Seven: Schools and Objectives Chapter Eight: Strapping's Chapter Nine: A Decision Made Chapter Ten: A Decision Made II Chapter Eleven: Richard, Richard Chapter Twelve: Fitting Chapter Thirteen: Fitiing II Chapter Fourteen:
Chapter One: The Magistrate's Grandson I Spoiler The city of DaleGuard was one of the major cities in the northern lands of Bathar Kingdom. It was the only great city within six thousand kilometres and it stood as both a symbol of the Kingdom's power and influence, as well as a bastion against the beast hordes of the great Wildlands. It sat stolidly at the mouth of a great valley effectively blocking the opening in the highlands before it and guarding the vast plains behind it. From afar anyone could make out its great flanking guard towers and their beckoning top lights. DaleGuard truly was a symbol of power and civilisation in this desolate corner of the north. The surrounding lands might not be as prosperous but the city itself was well developed. It served as the administrative power and trade centre in the area, possessing numerous market places and government offices. It even had seven courthouses with a magistrate each just to handle legal matters and it is in the manor of one of these magistrates that our story begins... Magistrate Valan Steelborn walked towards the courtyard with a measured gait. He had long hair tied in a pony tail and a beard that he was obviously proud of, as it was cared for meticulously. Both were pure grey, displaying each of his seventy-two years for all to see. He projected an intense scholarly air, and seemed like the kind of person to see when one was in need of counsel. At this moment though, his brow was furrowed with concern. "You are certain of your deductions?" he asked to make sure. "Yes magistrate! I have watched the young master for years. I noticed the change when it began, but I couldn't believe it. I had to be certain which is why I waited a week before informing you", one of the two men beside him quickly answered. The man in question was Avery, a servant of the household. A caretaker and minder for the magistrate's grandson. He was a stern faced, deep voiced, middle aged man who dressed more like a guard than a child minder especially taking into account the two-handed longsword he carried at his back. Avery carried it everywhere and it was his most distinctive feature. He walked briskly a few steps behind the magistrate as they made for the courtyard. "An entire week! And if something had happened as you waited?" the magistrate asked hotly. "Then I would have taken full responsibility. It's just that the changes happened very slowly. Five days passed before the change was significant enough for me to be certain. I waited the extra days to be sure that it was still happening", came his answer. The other man walking beside the two snorted in derision. Clearly he didn't support Avery's decision. The three men marched briskly towards their destination eager to either affirm the news or clear up the misunderstanding. The closer they got the clearer they could make out the beautiful music coming from the place and upon getting there they saw its source. A boy who looked no older than eight was sitting on a bench and playing a silver flute. The melody was heavy and with a quick-tempo as if a lot of things were being said, but too fast to be clearly made out. Flitting between sharp and dull, short and long, high and low the notes were blasted out continuously and loudly from the flute in a simple harmony. You couldn't help but wonder how the young man got the breath to play as he did for he never paused to breathe. He just went on playing, his fingers marching like soldiers over the silver flute. The performance was enrapturing and his onlookers were loath to interrupt the scene. It wasn't often that the young master played. He was obviously gifted but he didn't play often. Perhaps when his grandparents asked or Mrs. Fang, his teacher at the grammar school demanded, but it was rare for him to pick up the flute and play of his own volition. The magistrate took a good long stare at his grandson, a look of pride on his face. He had only one child, the father of the boy, but he went missing before Valerian was even a year old. Valan's wife along with the child were the core of his life. They were not his only family but he was estranged from most of his other relatives and he didn't have much affection for them beyond filial duty. His grandson on the other hand, he would move the world for. What other reason would he have to leave his work and rush home? He waited for the flute music to end and then called out. "Valerian! Come here!" The boy was stunned for a moment before turning to glance at the walkway to his left where he saw his grandfather, minder and uncle, the captain of the manor guards. Quickly he rushed over a smile on his face. "Welcome home grandfather!" he greeted. "Welcome home, Avery, Uncle Richard", he added. The old man smiled and waved him even closer. Valerian moved to his side now a bit confused. He could sense the intense stares the older men were training on him. Was he in trouble? Keeping calm outwardly he searched his mind furiously to figure out what he could possibly have done. His thoughts were derailed when his grandfather clasped a warm hand to his shoulder and then performed a small squat that they might be level. Valan was an incredibly dignified old man, always and everywhere projecting a noble and stately air. However that was only when he was out or at work. At home he was a husband and a grandfather. He had no need to remain as formal. Rather he beamed and now at the same head height as his grandson he laughingly asked. "How is your progress over at the grammar school?" Valerian's guard lapsed a little. The grammar school? Was that what this was about? Well he had done nothing wrong. He was sure of it. It was probably Mrs. Fang complaining again. What did she say this time? More reports about how unmotivated and anti-social he was. He didn't even understand what he was doing there and he had said so time and again. "It's so boring and everyone is so dull. Mrs. Fang is always harping and complaining when I sleep in class but it's not my fault. Everything is boring and easy. I've already learned all the letters and numbers". He complained with a pout. "Hahaha!" his grandfather laughed. "That is what you always say". This was true. There was nothing for him to learn there. Everything really was too easy. He had long since mastered everything of that level. He didn't understand why his classmates found the material difficult. Plus they were so annoying and childish. Valerian honestly felt he was wasting his time there. He would rather stay at home and read from the manor library but his grandparents insisted on sending him out. How could he know that it was for his own sake? There were no children around the manor and even the youngest servant was year past his first score. His grandparents were merely worried that his development would be affected if he did not interact with some of his peers which was why they sent him to the Fangs' Grammar School every day. At least there he could meet and play with children his own age. Sadly, things didn't work out as smoothly. For one thing Valerian was much too mature. He found it hard interacting and playing with the children at the school and they with him. He was also too intelligent, widening the gap between them even more. Some of the meaner ones had even began to call him ‘old man' due to his ways. But that did not matter anymore. He would not have to go back there again. He had more important things to do with his time now. "Let me tell you something", the magistrate said somewhat more seriously. "Starting tomorrow you will be tutored at home. You don't have to go to the school anymore." "Really grandfather?" Valerian asked joyfully. "Of course! In fact at least twice a week I will take charge of your studies." Valerian was delighted. He knew full well that his grandpa was an acclaimed scholar. To have the chance to learn from him was something even Mrs. Fang, with all her knowledge, would beg for. He thanked the old man profusely happy to get out grammar school. "Hahaha. No need to be so happy about quitting grammar school. Your studies will be thrice as hard from now on. Just head in and get ready. Your grandmother will be home soon", the old man told him. He immediately ran off to clean up and get ready. His joy was evident on his face. Not only was he not in trouble he was finally out of Mrs. Fang's class. He never had to go back to that Grammar school again. Shooting a quick glance back at the men behind him he once more saw the proud and happy smile on his grandfather's face. ‘The old man is in a good mood today. I wonder what happened?', he mused to himself. -------------------- The old man in question watched him go with a proud smile and then turned to the captain of the manor guards. "Richard, your thoughts". Richard the only one amongst the three yet to speak stepped forward at the sound of his lord's voice. He was a large man. Far larger than the other two at seven feet and blessed with thick corded muscles. He was also dressed in dark leather and shiny steel. Massive steel gauntlets covered his forearms, large steel sabatons and greaves for his legs along with a breastplate made his identity as an elite warrior too easy to guess. There was clearly good reason for him to be the captain of the guards. Scars could be seen at his jaw leading down into his vest and there were surely more beneath his clothes. A calm man, he spoke in a low tone at a measured pace and walked with a slight limp. "I checked, magistrate. Valerian really has begun bone transformation. It is obvious that he has no idea of it but his body is readily absorbing world essence on its own. The whole thing is strange. All the evidence suggests that he is practising some sort of cultivation method but if he was or even if he came into contact with one we would know. In fact, the young master's knowledge is uncharacteristically sparse when it comes to martial arts and cultivation in general". He paused with a slight frown on his face as if annoyed at having to say so much in one go but continued nonetheless. "I honestly cannot figure out how this came about. There is no way he could have started cultivating without a method, technique, knowledge or teacher but he has none of these". "If it were anyone else or another circumstance I would stand by the opinion that the person knew or obtained a cultivation method somehow but this... There is just no way. We would surely know if that were the case. I confess to being confused and unhelpful in this matter" he concluded. The magistrate nodded slightly as each point was made and when Richard was done he turned to Avery. The sword carrying minder did not need the questioned to be voiced. He merely shrugged helplessly. "I am afraid that I too am useless in this regard. The reason it took me so long to come to you was to make sure that what I was seeing was really happening. Even after watching for many days I am still not able to understand anything concerning how the young master is cultivating". The magistrate hummed thoughtfully and stroked his beard. The other two men looked at each other. Their master was always like this. His actions made it clear that he had some idea as to what was happening but had to do this first. Richard looked at Avery and motioned with his head leading him to sigh mentally and take this one. "Could it be that you know something about this magistrate?" The old magistrate paused his actions for a brief moment before continuing with the beard stroking. "I'm not sure whether I should say. It is just a theory. One that cannot be truly confirmed. At least not yet anyway". Knowing that he would end here if not given further prompts Avery spoke up again. "I'm sure master's theory is probably right. You have read wide, studied much and experienced a lot there's no way such a thing would elude you. Please enlighten us". Valan paused again gaining a slight faraway look as if considering it and then answered. "Valerian knows no cultivating method. This we know to be true and yet he has somehow entered the initial phase of the bone transformation stage. This I have confirmed. So either what we know is wrong or he is somehow cultivating without cultivating. The truth is simple. He has a special body. "It is instinctively strengthening itself using world essence. Luckily such a situation is not wholly unheard of though to my knowledge, this is the first instance of it happening in DaleGuard. There is only one thing that can create such a special physique and that is high tier legacy". "A high tier legacy..." Avery mumbled before realisation dawned on him. "Could this be related to his mother?" "Without a doubt", the magistrate stated resolutely. "Our clan's legacies have no such power or ability so it is definitely hers. Sadly with her and my son missing, there is no way to truly confirm this until it manifests itself. Right now we have to focus on the fact that Valerian is evidently innately gifted at cultivation". The two men nodded, clearly understanding the wisdom in doing what was possible and focusing on what was near. They couldn't help but wonder how powerful such a legacy would be. However these thoughts were dispelled by the glare their master shot them. "It goes without saying that no one, absolutely no one, even the family is to know about Valerian having a high tiered legacy or that his body is self-cultivating" he made clear. The two men quickly nodded. "Good! Richard, tomorrow arrange for your brother to come to the manor. We will need an array master to properly check out Valerian and aid in planning his training. Avery, you begin making preparations, essence crystals and equipment. Whatever you think is necessary. I will inform my wife of what is happening and make some arrangements of my own". With that he turned around and began to walk out of the courtyard. Richard and Avery looked at each other, fully aware that their jobs, Avery's especially were about to get a lot harder. It would be worth it though with Valerian's obvious intelligence, paternal lineage and now this maternal clan legacy, he was sure to become an outstanding cultivator in the future. "Also", came the voice of the magistrate. "Avery, you need to work on your flattery. It is bland, and completely blatant. Your delivery is quite poor and forced as well." With that said he disappeared into the manor.
Chapter Two: The Magistrate's Grandson II Spoiler Valerian Steelborn was no ordinary child. As a matter of fact he would be insulted to be considered one. He had met many ‘ordinary children' at Fangs' Grammar school though and the adjectives he would use when describing them would not be flattering at all. Messy, immature, petty, prone to running around and fidgeting, unable to understand the teacher's lessons even after several repetitions, hated simple correction, resorted to name calling... Well he was not one of them. Let's leave it at that. He knew it, they knew it. He was better. He was smart, from a good home and much more physically fit than most of them. He understood everything on the first try, was far ahead of his years in terms of knowledge and looked like the perfect prince of comportment and neatness, and stroked his chin when lost in thought. Even at the age of eight he couldn't be described as anything less than incredibly handsome. This together with his supposedly ‘arrogant face', ‘know it all' attitude and ‘lazy', nonchalant visage made more than few of his peers envious. Many of whom would call themselves his rivals and enemies. That was one of the reasons he wanted to quit grammar school. There was nothing there for him to learn. The people there were annoying. He was tired of Mrs Fang trying to get him to "display his talents more" and his colleagues staring daggers and whispering to each other at his back not to mention the ones that kept trying to fight him. Nevertheless his thoughts shouldn't be mistaken for whining. Why? Valerian was largely apathetic. Strong emotions were foreign to him. That was the problem. He had learned to care for a few things; his grandparents and thanks to them, books and learning. However when confronted with other things he found it hard to get worked up over them. What did it matter that most of his classmates didn't like him? Why should he bother to do better when barely trying was more than enough? Why fight them when he could ignore them till they went away? What did that have to do with him? Why should he be concerned about so, so and so? To be honest the whole thing was a serious waste of time and he was glad that it was finally over. Perhaps now his own pace of learning would not be restrained simply because some daft kid in the back could not keep up. So when he woke up early that morning he was filled with much more zest than usual. It caused him to rush to the study right after breakfast and wait for his lessons. Sadly he was going to wait for a long time for at this time his grandparents were busy waiting for a particular array master to arrive. They needed him in order to assess Valerian's potential for cultivation and to determine the path he should take. This preliminary check was necessary for every one and was normally done en mass by children and their families at temples, sects and schools. The whole thing was very important, which was why they were having a private test performed by a member of the clan. This person was the younger brother of Richard, their guard captain. Ordinarily you'd think that someone a magistrate issued a summons for would rush over immediately, but this was not the case. The person coming was an array master. It was a noble profession, an elite position that only gifted cultivators could claim. It was not uncommon for some array masters to feel disdain towards people with ‘mortal professions', particularly the low levelled ones, even if those people were their uncles. Luckily Jonas, Richard's brother was not the type. He arrived promptly and paid his respects to master and mistress of the manor. ---------------- "Good morning Uncle, Auntie!" Valan immediately got up to receive him. "Jonas! Welcome! It's been a year". "I'm sorry Uncle. I know I should visit more, but I have been so busy lately" Jonas immediately tried to explain. The magistrate laughed off his attempt and replied instead with. "I know. Congratulations on passing the exam. To successfully advance to second circle array master at your age is most impressive. You make us proud. How can we bring ourselves to bother you when your secluded study and closed door cultivation brings so much results?" Jonas gave a bashful smile. "Well hopefully now that I have passed the examination I can take things slow for a while". "Yes. You should!" the magistrate's wife affirmed. As it happens, Richard and Jonas were part of the family. Their father was the magistrate's cousin. The two were close growing up and thus when he and his wife died Valan had not hesitated to adopt his orphaned children. The couple raised them alongside their own son. Richard became a respected warrior and Jonas had even managed to become an array master. The two had never forgotten the love and care shown them. That was why Richard remained at the manor as a guard captain when with his tier he could easily find better paying work anywhere. The guard captain of a minor magistrate might have some influence but it paled compared to what a tellurian at the peak of the second tier could really achieve. Jonas on the other hand was an array master his talent was rarer and not only required more work but he couldn't be around as much. He was now an important figure in the city and the clan. A lot was required of him and yet the moment he heard the old couple needed his help, he dropped everything and ran over. It helped that there was a temporary lull in his duties but this act alone showed how much he cared for and respected them. Plus, the fact that it concerned Valerian the son of his surrogate brother meant he couldn't refuse or postpone. He was eager to perform the ceremony. He wanted to see what results the son of the greatest genius of his generation would have. Funnily, no one could find the boy. It took a while before a servant checked the study and then brought him over. ---------------------- Valerian walked into the hall a bit annoyed. It turned out that he wasn't going to be studying after all. His grandfather had actually forgotten about him simply because some guest from the main clan was visiting. Now he was being dragged over to meet him. His attitude changed a little though when he saw who he was to meet. Standing before his grandparents chatting and laughing bashfully was a man decked in resplendent red robes with a staff in his hands. The material shrouded his body in an intentionally mysterious air and the staff was capped with a large red crystal. ‘Obviously a cultivator', Valerian noted mentally. He proceeded with greater care making sure to take him in fully. This allowed him to notice the style of the robes and the rather obvious badge placed over the right breast of the figure. The material of the badge itself was relatively nondescript. It was dark and hard. The lines carved on it however possessed a dull whitish-blue glow. They came together to form two circles filled in with strange symbols, a smaller one in a larger one. Valerian's breath caught. He had a dim idea of what that meant. The guest was an array master! His eyes shot up to better scan his face and beneath the rather thick beard he made out a somewhat familiar face. Array master Jonas Steelborn. The man counted among the most distinguished of all his clan members - the ones he had met at least. To be an array master was something many dreamed of. Even the children at school would sit and discuss them when they got the chance. Many hoped to become one when they grew up. Regrettably it was easier said than done, and even they knew it. Array master, alchemist, artificer, healer, these were just some of the top cultivating professions. They required not only smarts, resources and long study but most importantly cultivating talent. That alone disqualified eighty percent of all who hoped to study them. Simply becoming a cultivator was beyond the hopes of most let alone becoming one with the talent and skills necessary to become one of these. Cultivators were the elite and those of these professions were the elite of the elite. It was remarkable that Valerian recognised him in the first place. He had only ever met him twice before this. The last time was when he was four. Seeing Jonas also allowed Valerian to put together some of the clues he had noticed but not focused on. He started to suspect the reason why his grandfather was so happy the day before and why he had been allowed to quit the grammar school. Hope begun to stir in his heart. Was he about to have his prospects at cultivation tested? ‘Finally!' he yelled mentally. In fact, he had to restrain himself from doing something totally uncharacteristic like breaking into song or dancing a jig. He had waited for so long. This was much better than simply being allowed to quit grammar school. Why? Because he was going to get the chance to cultivate and much earlier than expected too. He had brought the topic up before only to be shot down. His grandfather had originally said that he would begin when he was ten. That his time was better spent improving knowledge and tempering his mind. Valerian disagreed if course but he was not the one in charge of these decisions. In truth, Valerian knew a lot more about cultivation than his family thought. Even if the topic was not discussed at home and the books in the study sealed away it was still possible for him to learn about it. The reason for this was simple. Grammar School! Yes, it was good for something. If it was before then his family would right in their deductions since he never met anyone who did not live in the manor but once he started going to school it was different. He might have little knowledge on the subject but that did not mean that others did as well. Just like his grandparents wanted, Fang's Grammar School exposed him to people outside the manor. He may not have interacted much with his peers but he did observe them. Many of them had parents, siblings and people close to them who were cultivators or at least cultivation aficionados. This led to discussions on cultivators and cultivation itself. Topics like which attribute was the best? Who was the coolest or most powerful cultivator in DaleGuard or the world? Who would win in a fight between the Viscount and the gladiator champion? Which technique was more awesome? Which profession was greatest. These were discussed often and worn to the ground. Sure they were discussions of children but they were still useful for someone like Valerian who knew little. Thanks to them he now knew more. Like the fact that cultivation required a lot of time and dedication, meaning that most either studied at home, under masters or in special schools. Fangs' was none of these so those who started cultivation nearly always left. Or the fact that testing cultivation prospects required the use of special arrays. And who had come to his house right after he had been pulled from school – an array master. It also explained why his grandfather, workaholic though he was had taken the day off. Valerian clenched his fists hoping to all the gods that his deductions were right. But before he could get off a short prayer his presence was acknowledged and he was forced to spend the next few minutes exchanging platitudes. He made his way over to stand behind his grandmother and waited for the adults to speak. He wasn't disappointed. "Now Valerian I know I said you weren't going to cultivate until you were ten but due to certain reasons I have relented and will allow you to do so", his grandfather begun. "Thank you grandfather!" he exclaimed. His excitement was getting hard to suppress. "Yes, yes!" his grandfather said. His grandmother merely beamed at him and as for Uncle Jonas he watched everything with a small quirk to his lips. "Your uncle Jonas is here to run some tests. The results will determine if you can cultivate and your cultivation path. They will also be sent to the clan if you pass, to register you as one of the cultivators of the younger generation. That way you will be acknowledged by the clan and qualify to receive some resources and manuals". "I understand grandfather. Thank you!" Valerian said trying to appear calm but the widening smile on his face betrayed him. "Don't thank me. You haven't passed the assessment yet" the old man pointed out. Of course he did not add that there was absolutely no chance of him failing. Not when he had already started cultivating. Rather he turned to his nephew and gave him the go ahead. Jonas stepped forward with a smile. Holding his staff out he called Valerian forward. The young boy left his grandmother's side and stood in front of his seldom seen uncle. Quickly space was made and he was left in the middle, a little over a meter of open space on all sides. Out of the corner of his eyes Valerian saw two of the guards perk up and focus on him as well as Uncle Richard leaning against a wall, Avery at his side. When they got here he did not know. What he did know was that this was the first step on a path to greatness and oh how right he was.
Chapter Three: Outstanding Talent? Spoiler Jonas scrutinised the boy before him and was forced to admit that his comportment was extraordinary. Perfectly dressed, well-mannered with a lofty bearing and purposeful grace he really was a little prince. Despite this he was completely unspoiled. At least from what he had heard and seen. Aside from a penchant to be overly self-assured he seemed to conduct himself quite well and even his Valan had nothing but good things to say about him. He was curious because he knew little about this nephew of his. It was shameful but he really was quite busy. So he seized this chance to figure out the boy for himself rather than rely completely on what his brother said about him. Thankfully he was perfectly capable of doing that whilst focusing on the array he was setting up. Nevertheless, he had an audience. One which included his big brother, his surrogate parents as well as several servants and guards. So he made it a bit showy. The crystal at the tip of his staff lit up with a bright red glow. As it did so he stretched his right hand out a bit, upturned his palm and made a motion that looked as if he was grasping the air. In response a circle of dull red light appeared around Valerian who to his credit, kept his surprise hidden, only glancing towards it once. "The array I will be using is common and one I have used many times. There is no danger of it harming you so while it might look a bit bright there is nothing to worry about", Jonas said. The fingers of his still outstretched right twitched. In response a second circle appeared around the first. There were a few gasps in the hall whilst looks of pride appeared on the faces of the magistrate and his wife. Many would not know the significance of that but to those who knew, it was the sign of a second tier array master. Most prospective tests employed a series of arrays. These were all one circle arrays but what Jonas was doing now was clearly a two circle array. That alone cut the number of arrays need by half as each circle would handle a different part of the test, effectively doing two things at once. This was what separated the second tier of array masters from the first. The former could not only employ more powerful, more complex arrays but also do more in the same amount of time. Jonas smiled to himself. This was the first time he was showcasing his skills before the old couple in a while. He wanted to let them see how far he had gotten. Becoming a second tier array master had been his focus for a long time. He had studied like mad. Done so much research and practice he had nearly grown tired of it all. In the end he had been vastly over qualified for the position, passing the test quickly and with ease as the most outstanding examinee in his batch. Now looking at the pride on the faces of the people who raised him he could confidently say that all that work was worth it. Clearing his mind he focused on the circles in front of him and on the boy at their centre. His fingers twitched again and motes of red light appeared around Valerian. There were at least fifty of them. Each of these motes of light shaped themselves into strange indistinct markings that slowly sunk until they were level with the circles of light. There they arranged themselves into larger shapes and configurations. Soon both inner and outer circles had these markings embossed on them as if they were carved into the air itself. Seeing Valerian's curious gaze Jonas decided to elaborate a little bit about what he was doing. "The light markings are called glyphs. They are symbols of power that possess many qualities and are capable of an infinite number of things under the control of an array master. When put together with the circles in certain configurations they form arrays. The creation and control of these arrays is the job and passion of array masters like myself as well as the source of our titles and powers". "The array surrounding you is a rather simple one. The inner circle would perform a check up on your body. Making sure your body is physically fit for cultivation. The outer one will in turn check your meridians and vessel for obstructions and abnormalities". Valerian nodded solemnly, digesting what was said to him and storing the information for later. Contrary to his outward appearance, his mind was racing as it tried to figure out how the array worked. Knowing that the pursuit was futile, he instead turned his thoughts back to the test. This whole time Jonas had been observing the boy. So far he could say this for certain. The boy truly was very mature. He had watched when he came in and how he reacted when the news was broken. Most children would be visibly excited when told that they would be allowed to cultivate and yet he remained calm the whole time. Whereas others would yelling in joy he merely had a small smile on his face whilst trying to play it of like it was nothing really, just par for the course. At that time Jonas did not think much of it. Many noble children were adept in hiding their emotions as well. Not as good but close. However watching him stand in front of him now was a little unnerving. He had performed a lot of such examinations both privately and publicly, for the clan and for outsiders and yet he had never seen this. Valerian stood there, ram rod straight, an arm behind his back and his head held high a confident smile on his face. This was a test that pretty much decided a person's fate and future accomplishments. There was no one who hadn't been nervous when taking it. It didn't matter if the person was a genius and had awoken some latent talent before the test. He or she would still feel some apprehension when confronted with tests concerning his talent. His eyes flicked over to the old magistrate wondering if the boy had been told that he was already at the preliminary phase of bone transformation. It was the only reason he could think of for why the boy was so confident. He acted like the whole thing was a forgone conclusion. Receiving no response from the old man he turned back to his charge only to look back at the magistrate. Jonas' eyes flicked from grandfather to grandson and from grandson to grandfather at least trice. He had picked up on something that was so funny and startling that he nearly burst into laughter. Both boy and man were in the exact same pose. Arms behind the back, small confident smile, head raised high with a sleepy almost bored look. Everything right down to the small tilt of the head. How this happened he did not know but he guessed that the old man had finally trained himself the perfect heir. Putting that aside he made one final motion and the circles lit up. They had been dull red before, and now they were a bright fiery colour. The glyphs looked especially eye catching. The entire array fell to the ground. It hovered level with Valerian's soles for a moment before slowly rising over his head and then falling again. After three cycles of this it came to a stop at his waist. Then the light of the inner circle began to dim. Valerian shuddered for a few seconds before he adjusted to the sensation created by the arrays. All eyes were now truly focused on the event taking place eagerly awaiting what came next. They were not disappointed. A large glyph, about a foot in size rose from the inner circle. Everyone looked at it, knowing that it represented the first batch of results. Jonas looked at the results, dismissed them and announced. "Your body is very fit. The bones are regular and well formed. They are no deformities that might hamper your cultivation". By this time the outer circle had also begun to dim. The glyph had already risen so Jonas announced that as well. "Your meridians are also in perfect condition. There are no obstructions, leakages or recognised abnormalities". The results were expected but that didn't stop some of the onlookers from sighing in relief. The magistrate in particular was relieved and despite his usual stoicism, it nearly showed on his face. Whilst this was certainly the easiest part of the tests it was not a guaranteed pass. A healthy, strong body was a necessity no matter the cultivation path. Physical deformities could just as easily destroy one's hopes or limit a person's progress. Jonas made that grasping motion again. The arrays burst into motes of light which quickly formed themselves into circles and glyphs again. The circles formed first, then the glyphs. It was a skill he was very proud of. Rather than erase an array and start over he could take control of the energies and reform them into a completely different array. This form of recycling saved time and energy but required intense focus and control. "For the second part of the test, the inner circle will measure your essence and check its level to see if you can cultivate. The outer circle will extract a little of your essence and check the type of force you have. This will tell us if you can cultivate and what direction you would pursue". This was the most important part and so everyone watched with bated breaths. They gazed intently as the bright array dimmed and pushed out three glyphs. Under their watchful eyes Jonas leaned forward to announce the results only to nearly choke on his own tongue. His coughing and spluttering caused the tension building in the hall to be resolved in sad disappointed whispers. Valerian had definitely failed and now Jonas was unable to proceed. The words out of Jonas' mouth quickly disproved those views. "E...E...ESS...NCE LEVEL FORTY-ONE TIMES NORMAL!" The hall was plunged into sudden silence. No one could believe the words the array master had spoken. In fact not even he could which was why he had choked the first time. After checking the results again he was remained so unbalanced he yelled it out. So he composed himself and announced the results again. "The essence level is measured at forty-one times the norm". The magistrate's wife stepped forward. "Jonas... Are you sure?" She couldn't be blamed for asking. All the guards and servants watching had the same thought running through their minds. No doubt anyone who heard the results would question them as well. The reason was simple. Essence was the most important thing for cultivating. A person required an essence level at least five times that of a normal person in order to cultivate. More was obviously better but forty-one was just excessive. It had to be a record. As a second tier array master Jonas' essence level was hundreds of times that of a normal person. However he was pushing forty, had been cultivating from the age of ten and had achieved not only the second tier in array mastery but also as an arcanist. All this had increased his strength and essence. For an eight year old boy who had yet to start true cultivation to have such a high level of essence was unimaginable. "Auntie Clara, I couldn't believe it too at first but I've checked three times. Plus there is more", Jonas answered. "More?" "Yes!" he answered solemnly then indicating the two remaining glyphs he added. "Valerian possesses dual force. He has both qi and arcane energy". This was an even greater shock than the first bit of news. Dual force was so rare it was considered a legend to most. Ordinary cultivators would have either arcane energy or qi, never both. For instance, Richard had qi whilst Jonas had arcane energy. The probability of awakening one or the other depended partly on lineage but also on chance. Arcane energy was rare in the Steelborn family and thus most cultivators possessed qi. Jonas as an arcanist was in the minority. Each force had its own properties, abilities and cultivation path. For a person to possess dual force meant that at the very least he could simultaneously travel both paths and gain all the benefits therein including twice the power. This information combined with his high essence level meant there was absolutely no doubt that Valerian would go far. Right now Valerian had a happy smile on his face. He stretched his body slightly to rid himself of the uncomfortable tingling sensation that the arrays had given him. It wasn't painful, just strange. By this point, the number of servants and guards watching the tests had doubled and even more were rushing in. He was glad that he hadn't humiliated himself in front of them. He made a move to get out of the array. "Wait!" Jonas exclaimed. Valerian nearly cursed. ‘I thought the array was harmless. Don't tell me it will explode if I disrupt it', he muttered mentally. He was trying to get to his grandparents now that the tests were done but hearing Jonas' yell reminded him of all the stories he had heard at Fang's about the destructive powers of array masters. He really should have asked for permission. "We aren't done yet", Jonas explained but seeing the look of confusion on Valerian's face he elaborated. "The tests are usually a series of five first circle arrays. Even performing them two at a time we should still have one left. However we will have to create two now?" "Why?" Valerian couldn't help but ask unknowingly voicing the thoughts of many of the watchers. "The final test is done to sample the examinee's force and determine if he or she possesses any innate attributes. Normally it requires only one array since there'd only be one force but you have both so we'd need both". Understanding dawned on everyone and Jonas wasted no time shattering and reconfiguring the array. This time when it dimmed it gave rise to no less than four large glyphs. Jonas left out a huge rush of air and everyone knew that the results were once again astounding. They were just waiting for Jonas to read them out. "Innate dual attributes of metal and wind for both forces!"
It sounds interesting, im kinda tired of reading weak to strong stories, though they have a certain charm. Im in for a breath of fresh air.
Chapter Four: Clan Matters Spoiler The next day was a very hectic one in the magistrate's household. In spite of their wishes to the contrary, the results of the test could not be kept hidden. Three elders of the Steelborn clan had come over. One of them was a third tier array master sent over to confirm the results of the test. After putting Valerian through the ceremony twice more he too came up with the same results. The three elders then locked themselves in the study with his grandparents and engaged themselves in discussion. Realising that he would receive no training or teaching for yet another day Valerian picked up a book on geography and sat in the hallway outside the study for some self-study. The planet Verre contained three continents. The continent he lived on was known as the World's Heart. To the east and separated by the world's thinnest ocean was Breathland continent whilst the southern Na'ar continent sat separate and distant. The reason the World's Heart was known as such was that it was the centre most of the three continents. There were also the two polar caps. World's Heart was undoubtedly the largest continent of all and was split between three major empires. The greatest of these and perhaps the most powerful in all of Verre was the NewHaven Empire in which he lived. The other two powers were the CrystalSpur Empire and LongCrest Federation. Each empire was divided into numerous smaller kingdoms or states. These kingdoms had their own rulers even though they were under the rule of the various major powers. Besides paying tribute, obeying imperial edicts and fulfilling the imperial objectives, the 24 kingdoms mostly managed themselves. There were imperial offices and command posts but on a whole, the management of a state was left to the king or appointed official. So long as a king remained loyal, obedient, paid taxes and tributes and did not overly harm his people he could have a nice, long albeit slightly restrained rule. The imperial force was not one to be questioned. It was genuinely powerful. It managed the largest and most dominant power in the continent. Forty percent of the entire Newhaven Empire was directly managed by the imperial force. The remaining sixty percent was what made up the 24 countries and beast lands. Nonetheless, the situations in the countries were not bad. While they were a few steps down from the actual imperial land they enjoyed a large variety of benefits from the empire. The Kingdom that Valerian belonged to was the Bathar Kingdom. Bathar was recognised as the seventh most powerful kingdom under the Newhaven Empire. Kingdoms were ranked according to population, wealth, size, military, resource endowment, infrastructure and the calibre of their cultivators. Thus the fact that Bathar occupied the seventh rank slot was not a small achievement. The competition between the various states was a major driving force for development and probably one of the reasons that the empire had held it's position as the greatest for so long. Valerian's head shot up, his mind breaking away from the book. The door to the study had opened and he could hear the voices within coming closer. Quickly he straightened his appearance and pretended to be absorbed in his book. Even as a child he knew that he had to make a good impression on the elders. Aside from the clan leader and the patriarch the elders held the most influence in all clan affairs. Having even one of them on his side would improve his own standing. The three elders and his grandparents exited the study and saw him sitting quietly in the hallway. Seeing him so engrossed in study made them nod to themselves but seeing him swiftly put the book away, stand up and greet them impressed them even more. The elders of the Steelborn clan were not of the typical, elderly upper management types. To be an elder in the clan, one had to be at least a hundred years old possess strength of at least the second tier. Each elder wore embroidered steel grey cloaks, as was the custom for clan elders, and massive steel armour in the exact same style as his uncle Richard's. Over their left breast was carved the clan's signature StormHawk on the outcrop insignia. In World's heart, the left breast usually carried badges showing loyalties or allegiances whilst the right showed status or position. "Valerian come here!" the elder in the middle called. Quickly he moved over wondering what they needed him for. "Good child. I need you to do something for me, is that alright?" he inquired. Valerian answered measuredly, "If there is anything you need honoured elder, ask. Taxing or not, I will fulfil it so long as I am able." The elder's grey eyebrows raised slightly at his manner of speech. From the corner of his eye he looked at the magistrate immediately pinning him to be the source of this. Obviously the boy had picked up his formal and exaggerated mannerisms. He chose not to comment on it though and instead raised an arm and pointed the palm outward saying. "It is nothing so difficult my child. I just need you to punch my palm as hard as you can". Valerian's face immediately changed and his body became tense. Due to his longstanding practice of always appearing outwardly calm it was not obvious but the experienced eyes of the elders easily saw through him. They had expected something like this. His actions had only served to confirm it. Now all they had to do was measure the degree. Valerian was very apprehensive but when he looked at the elder he could tell he was being serious. He wanted to refuse but ended up asking, "Are you sure?" The elder nodded with smile. "Just punch this old palm of mine. No need to be shy. This old man can handle it". This made Valerian even more determined to refuse. He knew that the old man was baiting him but he was not going to be goaded into hitting him. However before he could open his mouth to do so his grandmother's voice rang out. "Don't worry Valerian. Hit him. Elder Foreson is a King level cultivator. You cannot possibly harm him. Just give him all you've got". Valerian looked the old man over his fears abating somewhat. Elder Foreson was an extremely well built man. He was as tall as his grandfather but more robust and muscular. His aura was vastly different too. Even the magistrate's recognisably authoritative aura paled in strength and force when compared to his. His hair while as grey did not sit on a body as frail as the magistrate's, rather his very form implied strength and power. Inwardly Valerian cursed his own foolishness. The Steelborns were the most powerful clan in DaleGuard. Any elder of the clan was definitely a powerhouse. He couldn't hurt him if he tried his hardest. He was now convinced that the man knew what he was doing and that he knew. It couldn't possibly matter if he revealed his secret now. So he back up two steps and raised his fist. "Okay. I'm going to attack Elder Foreson", he reminded. It couldn't hurt to be a bit cautious. "Good!" the elder said. "Remember! Put in everything you have". Valerian nodded. He breathed in deeply and taking a step forward he punched out with all his strength for the first time in his life. The fist cut through the air at an impressive speed before it met the elder's palm. It was a simple punch devoid of any proper skill and performed with an untrained fist. Yet the moment it met the elder's palm a loud sound could be heard and the elder's eyes immediately became serious. THUD!!! You would think someone had slammed a stone club into a wooden wall. A slight wind from the strike swept through the area and ruffled the elder's clothes. However his palm remained unmoved. Indeed it was as if nothing had happened to it but shock could be seen on his face and on the faces of all the other grown-ups. Valerian withdrew his fist. In his mind he nodded appreciatively. Sure enough a clan elder was not that simple. The strength of someone at the king tier could not be underestimated at all. He would definitely have to acquire this kind of strength in the future. No, he would have to be stronger. Valerian had a good estimate of his own strength. This was the other reason he ignored all the provocations at school and declined all fights despite how annoying they got. For as long as he could remember he had always been abnormally strong. He didn't notice it at first but eventually as he grew older he begun to see the disparities between his own strength and that of the servants in the household. Still it wasn't until he knocked his grandfather out by accident when he was celebrating his fifth birthday that he realised how great it actually was. That day was etched into his memory. Even now he wondered what would have happened if his grandmother had not taken him aside and spoken to him. When his grandfather woke up he did not remember anything and no one was in a hurry to tell him. But he learned his lesson then and from that day he kept a tight rein on his strength. He never unleashed his strength again till now when he poured out everything he had and even that was unable to so much as move the elder. The elder's view of things was completely different. He and the others had suspected Valerian's strength and decided to test it. However even prepared, he had totally underestimated how much of it there was. If not for some swift last minute adjustments, he might have been humiliated. What would people think if they found out that an eight year old had actually struck his palm away? Sadly, he was not entirely successful as proved by the fact that he failed to completely neutralise the force behind the punch. The other two were the same. They had a clear idea of what happened thanks to their heightened senses. Thus they saw plainly how powerful Valerian's punch was and what it took to stop it. Their assessment of his worth shot up even more. Dual force, double dual innate attributes, an essence level forty-one times average and now this frightening degree of strength. Even a daft, blind, ignoramus could see that this boy was going to a major talent in the future. Quickly they dismissed him and got down to business. ----------------------- "Elder Foreson, just how strong is Valerian?" Valan asked curiously. In this gathering, his position as magistrate and lord of the manor accounted for nothing. The elders were all older and more powerful physically and politically. No one was going to call him lord or master here. Just plain old Valan. "The boy possesses at least four tonnes of strength behind his punches", Foreson admitted. "Four tonnes..." Valan mumbled in astonishment. "I know", Foreson stated. "He definitely inherited the first legacy. In fact his inheritance is probably comparable to the patriarch's. Even though it is not fully awakened, his strength outstrips those of his peers who have full access to it. My guess is that it will reveal itself in full when he reaches the qi gathering stage like it does for most late bloomers". Valan nodded mutely for a second stroking his chin as was his fashion. Then a thought struck him. "Then my request..?" Foreson nodded in acknowledgement his eyes unusually bright. "Rest assured. It will surely be accepted. Even if it is not I will do everything in my power to make it so. The boy will receive the full support of the clan and the top secret manuals will be made available to him. It's just... are you sure that you want Richard and Jonas to take charge of his training? You can move back into the clan compound. That way access will be even easier and he will have the best tutors on hand". "I'm sure!" Valan stated firmly. "The two have looked forward to the role from the moment he was born and their current level is more than enough to drill him for now. We will focus on the basics and if he needs any specialised or advanced training I guarantee that we'll seek the aid of the clan". The elder wanted to protest the decision but he reflected on the resoluteness of Valan's stance and the hard set of his jaw and thought better of it. In its place he sighed and shook his head slightly. Perhaps it was best. Given the issues Valan had in the past his presence could upset the current balance of powers especially given how gifted his grandson was. Looking the frail man over he couldn't help but think, ‘It truly is a pity'. ------------------------- Valerian sat in his favourite courtyard with one of the manor's hounds at his feet. He reflected on the events of the last few days and had to admit that even he was a bit dazed. Three days ago he had been a student of Fang's Grammar School. Now he was a soon-to-be cultivator with the highest ever measured potential in the city of DaleGuard. He had overheard some of the servants speak and knew that many were already referring to him as a Heaven warping talent. He had to admit that he liked the sound of that. Lost in thought he nearly didn't notice the elders leaving. His grandfather was seeing them off but they declined, unwilling to trouble him and so he ended up leaving them not far from the entrance of his courtyard. However they did not immediately leave. Rather they watched his grandfather hurry back into the main building. Then one of the elders opened his mouth. "Looking at him it is hard to imagine that his father, mother, son and now grandson were all the most outstanding geniuses of their generations. What went wrong?" Another assented. "I know. It's so unfair. How did a wastrel like him come from such a great bloodline? Remembering all the resources that were wasted on him when he was younger still hurts my heart. If even one of my sons had half the opportunities he had growing up he would be stronger than me now." "Enough!" Elder Foreson barked at them. "Remember, Valan is still the son of the patriarch". "That doesn't excuse him nor does it explain how he wound up being such trash", the first to speak pointed out. Even Foreson had to admit he had a point. "No it does not. I guess Heaven has to even things out somehow". The three elders continued their talk as they left. Neither of them spared a thought for the young boy in the courtyard not too far away. It wasn't that they did not notice him there. They just dismissed him. He was a child and they kept their voices low. The distance between them was also significant. There was no way that he would hear anything. How could they possibly know that Valerian was blessed with incredibly sharp senses? Counting the legs of a centipede from a hundred meters away was nothing to him. Neither was listening to a conversation carried out less than seventy meters away. Thus the elders left not sparing him a glance thereby missing the sharp, wrathful look that existed in those same eyes as they watched them go.
Hello i like the novel do your havê any website to view the chapthers ? Good luck and keep the good job
Chapter Five: Essence Theory Spoiler Finally! Valerian's education was about to begin. Following the test, the household became very hectic and it took four whole days before it settled down. His grandfather was always away, either at work or at the clan compound dealing with the elders. His grandmother was mostly the same except she dealt instead with the well-wishers who came round the manor. The bottom line was, no one had anytime to train or teach Valerian anything. After they had promised him too. He fully understood the reason why things happened that way. The clan was interested in his talent and so his grandfather had to make nice, especially since they were going to foot most of his training costs. Plus news of his talent had leaked and so many people were trying to draw close to them and make connections. These people might be fair weather opportunists but they had to be handled with tact. That was where his grandmother came in. Not to mention the fact that they had work to do. His grandfather was a city magistrate. He couldn't neglect his work just because of his grandson. His grandmother had an even more trying job as a beast tamer, and a highly respected one at that. They were trying as hard they could as is. It didn't mean he had to like it though. He didn't complain but he didn't like it either. Thus he was understandably relieved and happy when things settled down some around the household and his grandfather announced that he would be having the first lesson today, with him. He was so excited that he could barely sit still and finish his dinner. He kept asking about the lesson plans and what he was going to be studying. The whole spectacle made his grandmother happy. She loved it when he acted his age. Valerian rushed to the study as soon as he was able. From the moment he received the announcement, his mind had been working non-stop trying to figure out what he was going to learn. Was it going to be some secret art, family cultivation secrets or even one of those cultivation methods that he had heard so many rumours about? Given that he was now about to start cultivating it was probably the last. But which one? Which kind even? Alas, he met something quite different. -------------------------- Valan stood before a chalk board pointing rod in hand. He made the servants rearrange the study a bit to accommodate Valerian's lessons. There was now a new, small desk and a board. Teaching his grandson was something he had been looking forward to for a long time and he knew just what to start with. In fact, the topic was written in bold, beautiful script on the board. ESSENCE THEORY "Most cultivators know absurdly little about the process of cultivating itself much less the energies and forces they are using and the theory behind them. Their minds are completely focused on techniques, methods and skills. Constantly fighting for secret arts they use but do not understand. It's honestly quite pitiful", he began. "How can you hope to make any stable progress when you do not understand the fundamentals? It is important to correctly grasp the truth behind the forces to use them properly. Only a fool will take a weapon into battle without knowing what it's made from, how to use it and what it's capable of". "Right!" Valerian answered emphatically. He wholly agreed with his grandfather. It was obviously stupid to use something you had no true knowledge of. Mentally, he ignored the fact that understanding the fundamentals never crossed his mind. He too had expected to jump right to cultivating methods and secret arts. He blamed this fact on the wrong impression he had gotten from listening to the kids at Fang's. That and the seductive power of secret techniques. "The basis of cultivation lies with essence. Have you ever asked yourself why the word cultivate? Why use a word that means ‘to foster growth', ‘to refine'? There are many theories but amongst the foremost of these is that what cultivators cultivate is their essence", Valan expounded. As he did so his gaze burned hotter and his speech grew more impassioned. "Essence is the lifeblood off the universe, of Verre and of everything in it. It permeates everything. The air, the earth, the oceans and rivers, all are filled with the essence of the world. All living things contain essence as well. It is in no way an exaggeration to say that essence is life because that is what it is to living creatures and indeed to the world itself. Without essence all the creatures of Verre will die and world itself would become desolate". Valerian nodded dumbly. He couldn't remember a time when he saw his grandfather like this. It was a side of him he had never seen. Despite this or rather because of it he did not let himself be distracted. He focused his mind on what the old magistrate was saying. "Essence is not just life it is also energy. It is power. That is why when cultivators cultivate they increase their essence and grow more powerful. It is the source of all the extraordinary things in the world. There is nothing it can't do if applied properly and there are no shortage of uses for it. Why even Erasmus the Sage once..." here the magistrate realised that he was getting carried away. With a sheepish smile he cleared his throat and started over. "There is no need to go too much into depth right now. This is only the first lesson after all. We will cover this and more in our subsequent ones. Your grandmother might even join us. Right now what you should be concerned with is the relationship between essence, humans and cultivation". "Yes grandfather" Valerian assented softly. It didn't matter much to him either way. He was more than ready to learn whatever the old man had to teach. He had known he was a scholar but now confronted with the depth of the man's knowledge he couldn't help but be a bit overwhelmed. "Good! The first thing to understand about this is the essence cycle. An abundance of essence exists in the world. It is the essence that exists in the elements, in the land, sky and sea. We call this the world essence. World essence is different from the essence contained within living things. How different? We'll come to that later. "What's important is that living things take in world essence every moment of our lives in the air we breathe, food we eat, water we drink, earth we trod, etc. however we also release the essence in ourselves into the world though our emissions such as exhalation. And when we die our forms decompose and our essence becomes part of the world essence. "Cultivation requires the increment of the scale of this cycle. Cultivators take in large amounts of essence which they use to not only improve their essence but also their bodies. That is why cultivators are so much stronger than normal people and why they live for so much longer. Essence is life thus having more essence basically ensures that you have more life. However working with essence requires essence which is why cultivators need to have large essence pools. At least five times the essence pool of the average person is needed to cultivate. "The thing you must note is that humans are unable to directly cultivate their essence. Rather the essence of humans gives rise to one of two forces in the body. These are vital force or qi and spiritual force also known as arcane energy. What we actually cultivate is these forces but in doing so we improve and increase our essence. "Vital force or qi is a physical energy. It enhances the body and as its name implies improves vitality and body function. It is capable of truly great things but it is primarily centred on the body and nothing can change that. Spiritual force or arcane energy can extend according to the user's capabilities. It deals more with the world than the body. It can manipulate the natural world to an enviable degree but its benefits to the body are rather lacking. "Here in Bathar, people who train or cultivate their qi are known as tellurians whilst people who cultivate arcane energy are called arcanists. Your grandmother, Uncle Jonas and myself are all arcanists whilst your Uncle Richard and Avery are tellurians. Do you understand what I've said so far?" Valerian nodded his mind heavy with what he had learnt. "Essence is life and power. It permeates the world and every living thing exists in a cycle of essence. It is basis for the powers and abilities of cultivators, however they are unable to train it directly. Rather they train its constituents. Those who are blessed with its physical aspect are the tellurians whilst those who cultivate the spiritual aspect are the arcanists." Valan gave a proud smile. "Excellent! A bit short and sparse but you got the primary things down. Next we will go over the two forces in more detail". "Wait! I have a few questions", Valerian interrupted. "Ask away". "You emphasised the fact that tellurians focus on their bodies whilst arcanists focus on the world. Does this mean that arcanists are physically weak or that tellurians are unable to affect the natural world?" Valerian inquired. His eyes had a pensive look in them whilst his fingers incessantly stroked his chin in thought. Valan's smile grew even wider. His own hand unconsciously rose to stroke his immaculate beard as if showing Valerian how it was done. "That is a very good question. It shows that you are capable of thinking outside of the parameters you have been given. Keep that attitude and improve on it. It will help you greatly in the future. "To answer your question, traditionally yes. Traditionally a tellurian would be a spiritually inept physical powerhouse who employed his or her powers through feats of strength, speed and whatever abilities he or she has cultivated in the physical self whilst an arcanist would be a frail combatant who made use of his or her spiritual might to control the natural world to attack an opponent. Fortunately or unfortunately the real world is not so easily defined. "It is perfectly plausible for a tellurian to find a way to use his or her body to control the world and for an arcanist to use the world to strengthen his or her body. So in truth it will depend on which arcanist or tellurian you meet. Some may truly follow that archetype but there are undoubtedly some who follow other paths. The thing to bear in mind is not to let your guard down. Do you understand? Any other questions?" "So I shouldn't sit and think that I know what my opponent is capable of simply because the person is an arcanist or a tellurian" Valerian summed up. "Yes! Any other questions?" "Ah! Yes. I get why arcanists are called arcanists since they use arcane energy but why are tellurians called tellurians? Also, what are people like me who are both called?" His grandfather continued to stroke his beard. "Those are just titles my boy. Different people call them different things. That is why I specifically said that in Bathar the terms used are tellurian and arcanist. Elsewhere it's different. For example, warriors and mages, physics and psychics, knights and warlocks, etc. there are many names and different reasons for those names. As for why we in Bathar call qi cultivators tellurians that has to do with old world philosophy". "Old world philosophy?" Valerian questioned with a puzzled look on his face. "That is something we might discuss when you are older. Just know that some of the ancients felt the arcane path was the way of heaven and the other that of the earth. As for people with dual force. There are a few names for them as well but due to them being so rare there are no general names for them. You will be probably be referred to by both titles. Any more questions before we continue?" Valan clarified. "Just one more. You mentioned which paths you and grandmother belong to but you didn't mention my parents. Were they tellurians or arcanists?" Valerian probed softly. Immediately the question was voiced the atmosphere in the room changed. Valerian quickly wished he had kept his mouth shut. No one in the manor ever talked about his parents. It was pretty much taboo. Even he with his vaunted memory could barely remember anything about them. Thus he couldn't help but be curious about the pair who sired him. Hearing about the rest of the family stirred those feelings up especially since he knew his father was a genius cultivator. He was just about to tell his grandfather to forget about it when the answer came. "Your father was an arcanist. As for your mother I'm not too sure but what little I know leads me to believe she was one as well". Valerian sat there unable to come to terms with the fact that his grandfather actually answered his question. The silence stretched on for minutes as both parties remained unsure how to proceed. Eventually Valerian just bowed his head slightly and said, "Thank you grandfather". Valan seized this chance. "Whatever for boy? Now, let's get back to what we were doing". Eager to put the matter behind them, the two threw themselves head first into study. They sent their time in that study. Valan teaching and explaining with Valerian taking notes and asking questions. The pair of grandfather and grandson were so caught up in their work they even missed lunch.
I do think with it need a little tweaking to make the whole story flow better in general. Especially in the first chapter. However, the plot is absolutely amazing and I loved it. Perhaps you should post it on royalroad or something to get more attention than what you're getting here. Thanks for the chaptersssss Btw will there be a release schedule? Edit: wasn't he an apathetic child? Why does he get so excited all of a sudden? I don't really care that much, but a lot of people care about consistency, so if you want to attract a larger audience, I think it would be a good idea to focus on that
Chapter Six: The Manifold Elemental Incarnations Spoiler The series of introductory lectures with his grandfather left Valerian feeling enlightened and gave him much to look forward to when he actually started training. Eventually Elder Foreson and a few other elders dropped by the manor to hand over the manuals he would be training with. The manuals in question were just copies, but they contained the highest tier methods available to the clan, and had to be transported from the compound to the manor under heavy guard. Methods were incredibly valuable and the higher the tier of a method, the more it was worth. The better the method the better the result from training according to it. Given that they were a means of training warriors they were responsible for a great portion of a clan's strength. One of the reasons the Steelborns occupied the top spot in DaleGuard was because of their high tier techniques. They weren't going to risk them getting out. Originally the clan wanted him to stay in the compound to study the methods but his grandfather adamantly refused. Thus a few elders were required to bring them over and guard the manor while he studied. Before, getting elders to guard the manor would be unthinkable but now Valerian had been identified as a future asset for the clan and they were happy to make some concessions for their investment. Imagine their surprise when Valerian returned them after just an hour of study. He had already memorised them. After testing him on their contents Foreson was forced to accept that he really had memorised them. He incinerated them right there. They were just copies after all. Then he left grumbling but a little happy at no longer being obligated to guard the manor. ----------- "I hear you've already memorised the Manifold Elemental Incarnations", Jonas prodded. Valerian nodded. To be honest the constant expressions of surprise and incredulity from everyone were getting annoying. Sensing that he didn't want to talk about it Jonas did not pursue the matter. The two of them were sitting in Valerian's favourite courtyard and Jonas readily admitted that he rather liked the atmosphere it had. It was cool and the breeze hit the trees just right. Rustling the leaves softly without ripping them loose excessively. "I too train in that method. It is the greatest method for training arcane energy that the clan possesses. The reason for this is that it remains highly effective even at the higher arcane tiers and allows the cultivation of many abilities and spells. Perhaps the most outstanding thing about it is that it is also compatible with every elemental attribute making it dozens of times better than the clan's second best arcane cultivation method Arcane Monolith which is restricted to the metal one. "For instance, I possess the fire attribute making it impossible for me to train according the Arcane Monolith method. If you were to train in it you would have to neglect your wind attribute. However we can both train in the Manifold Elemental Incarnations with no problems. You can even train both your attributes with it at the same time making it the best type of method for you. It is truly the best method in the clan and requires special permission to train in it". Valerian was listening intently so he caught some of the implications of what his uncle was saying. Thus he couldn't help but ask. "Does that mean that not everyone in the clan trains in it?" "Sadly, yes. There are certain stipulations that must be met before the elders allow anyone to train in it. However, the clan has five methods. If you are able to train any of them to a high enough level the clan will allow you to upgrade to the Manifold Elemental Incarnations". "You can do that?" Valerian exclaimed. He had been under the impression that the choice in cultivating method was a permanent one. Jonas chuckled in amusement before answering. "Normally you can't. The second method must be compatible with the first or else complications will occur. Our Manifold Elemental Incarnations is compatible with an incredible number of cultivation methods and types". "That's amazing!" Valerian exclaimed. He was finally beginning to understand the import of the method and its value. "Of course. There is a reason why the elite in the clan practise it. Even so the number of people who successfully cultivate it are very few". Here he paused a bit in contemplation before continuing upon deciding that Valerian was mature enough. "What I'm going to tell you now is a secret. One you must not reveal to anyone not even other clan members. At least not without permission. I am only telling you since it is something that you must know as a practitioner of the Manifold Elemental Incarnations". Sensing the seriousness of the situation Valerian nodded solemnly. "Good. In truth the Manifold Elemental Incarnations is not just the most powerful art in the clan but also the entire county. Yes! Not just the city or viscounty but the whole county. It will be difficult to find one of its tier in the duchy to think of getting one compatible with so many elements and methods before considering its other special properties. The only reason we Steelborns have it is due to some special circumstances. "The reason for the secrecy is to prevent others from knowing the true value of the method. If they knew then the clan would face untold calamities. You should be able to imagine what would happen if it got out that we possessed such a thing". Valerian nodded fearfully. He did not know that the clan had such a frightening secret. "Good!" Jonas said in a serious tone but he soon lightened up. "There's no need to look so worried. Just practise it and make sure you don't tell people of its true power. Don't even discuss its properties with others as there are some who would be able to estimate its tier from that. If people ask either ignore or refuse. Every family has its secret arts. No one can force you to reveal it". Valerian nodded again but Jonas still looked unsatisfied. So he added. "Yes Uncle. I understand. I promise not to reveal the secrets of the Manifold Elemental Incarnations or its true tier to anyone without the express permission of the family". Jonas smiled widely. The reason he had stressed it so much was to make the importance of keeping the secret clear to Valerian. He was not exaggerating the danger it posed in the slightest. Ordinarily he would have waited till he was older so he would better understand but who knew if he would blurt something out to someone before then. Valerian was certainly smart but he was still a child and would not even know it was supposed to be a secret. He had to impress the danger on him. Now he had to clear his head a bit. He was supposed to start his lesson but he could tell that Valerian's mind was occupied with thoughts on what they had discussed. There was even some fear still on his face. This state would surely be detrimental to his training so he took him towards the kitchen and got him some snacks whilst entertaining him with some funny stories. They made their way back when Jonas determined that Valerian was sufficiently distracted. ------------ "I know Uncle Valan has given you an introduction to essence and the forces but I'm not sure how far you've gotten yet. Since I will be handling your arcane training it is best if I get a fair idea of what you know". Realising what was being asked of him Valerian began. "Arcane energy, mana or spiritual force is one of the two forces that rise from essence in humans. As a spiritual energy it enables people to forge a special connection with the world. This allows them to summon and control the forces of the natural world. People who cultivate this energy are called Arcanists". Jonas displayed a surprised expression but only for a second. He was getting used to the fact that his nephew was a genius. Still he made his approval known. "Good! Succinct yet listing all the important details". Jonas continued where his nephew left off, "All arcanists follow a general route, however there are differences in cultivation methods and more importantly differences in arcane energy. This leads to different albeit parallel paths. This has to do with the attributes of their arcane energy. Attributes are basically elemental properties. A simple analogy would be that, if arcane energy is tea then attributes are the different flavours of tea. "There are two ways to get attributes. The first is to be born with one. That is to possess one innately. The second is to train or gain one. You possess innate metal and wind attributes. This means that your arcane energy possesses the characteristics of metal and wind. Thus it will be easier for you to learn or use metal attributed arts. However any attempt to practise arts of a different attribute will be arduous. "This is the advantage the innately attributed have over those who are not. They can train faster when practising arts of their elements where as those without innate attributes will have to spend time training one up. Those arts will also be more powerful under their hands as well due to the synergistic effect. "But those without innate attributes have their own edge. Unlike the innately attributed their attributes are not predetermined meaning that they can chose whichever one they want and train it. Plus, someone with an innate attribute will have a very slow training speed when training in something other his or her innate attribute but that person would not have that problem if he or she did not have an innate attribute. Meaning it is easier for them to train in multiple attributes". Jonas adjusted his seat and placed his staff across his lap. "Which is better is an argument that is older than the empire. Each has its merits and demerits none of which are our current concern. I am only mentioning it because it is common knowledge. Being innately attributed or not is a matter of chance and birth. It cannot be changed and all have to make do with what they get. "Our clan in particular is mostly full of qi cultivators or tellurians. Seven out of every ten Steelborns has qi instead of arcane energy. We also have an uncommon number of people with innate attributes. Out of every five cultivators three or four would be innately attributed. The most common attributes are metal and wind nevertheless some random elements crop up from time to time. It's mostly fire or earth though. "Most tellurians in the clan are born with the innate metal attribute whilst arcanists are born with the wind attribute. Looking at it that way it is not so strange that you as a dual force user have both attributes though why it is not innate metal qi attribute and innate wind arcane attribute instead of dual attributes for both forces is a serious question. "However it is not one we care about. We'll not look a gift horse in the mouth. My task is to train you in the arcane arts and that's what I'll do". Feeling a bit parched from talking so much he grabbed a glass at his side and took a sip. Then he adjusted his posture. Lifted his staff, placed it back over his knees and generally fidgeted for a few moments. Jonas was trying not to show it but he was a bit nervous. Aside from giving advice to a few colleagues and juniors, Valerian was going to be the first person he trained. Even if it was not a formal apprenticeship he would still be considered his master in official records. Calming himself he referred mentally to his lesson plan. ‘The successful arcanist prepares beforehand', he intoned in his head. "The arcane path is split into seven tiers or realms of power. They are in increasing order of power; the Arcane Disciple, Arcane Lord, Arcane King, Arcane Emperor, Arcane Sage, World Transcendent and Heavenly Immortal. The higher levels are too far off to discuss even for me so ignore them for now. "All you need to focus on is that the arcane path is one that dominates the world. We mimic it, understand it, control it, master it and govern it. To possess arcane energy is to possess power over the natural world, over the elements" as he said this he raised a hand and with a grand gesture he set it aflame. Valerian immediately took a step back crying out in surprise. The fire coating his uncle's hand was bright and hot yet it did nothing to the flesh. He watched as the flames seemingly congealed into his palm forming a small sphere like the pith of a pear. Before his very eyes the orb grew larger and larger until it was half a meter wide in just a few breaths. "Uncle! What are you doing?" he received no answer. He had been retreating steadily the whole time sweating so much his clothes were beginning to stick to him. The heat was intense and oppressive and the whole courtyard bathed in it. The fiery light of the orb could be seen reflected in his eyes and yet he did not look away. The light revealed the awe and slight trepidation in his gaze. Confronted with the power of an arcanist Valerian could feel his heartbeat quicken in excitement. Why? Because it was power he himself possessed.
any chance of a website for it? or posting it on royalroad like someone else said? makes it easier to read and good advertising if it goes on royalroad or something like that.
I would also suggest putting up on Wuxiaworld original compositions forum as this is a Xuanhuan inspired story. Not the best setup, but plenty of like series to help attract readers that are looking for stories like this.
Thank you all for your support. It means a lot. At the moment I do not have my own site. I actually started a little over week ago and thus far I've only posted this on the wuxiaworld forum and here. My current schedule is in the first post and it is one that I'm sticking to though I might give a few surprise or bonus releases if the thought crosses my mind. I also understand there are probably some things I could do better. Please be free to point them out to me.
Welp story itself is well written, the plot is so generic and boring, that I won't have fun when I read this novel Genius cultivator + double elements and both arcane and qi , missing parents = reason to travel + revenge cuz some evil sect / clan kill /kidnapped them Advanced mind and "far more mature then his peers" I bet the fight reason are like a (I don't know how such an idiot can be a genius in first place) wannaby "I'm the strongest and go fuck yourself and attack the mc" + treasure + his legacy Mc (low key 100% even with this setup ) in fight like "they are so dumb, they force me to fight so I beat them with my op hidden powers" the bitches ( don't know if you go harem, but for now it sound more like CD) mc (like 10 year old) omg he is so hot , but mc (far more mature then his peers) "sorry cultivation is important I need to get stronger to find my parents" Oh I bet grandparents get killed do his bloodline legacy and then the escape + get stronger in the mounting time beginns Don't mean that in the bad way, but this are the vibe I get from the story
Chapter Seven: Arcane Baptism Spoiler Bathed in the light and heat of that ball of fire Valerian couldn't help but be reminded just what sort of power lay within his grasp. But that was only if he could reach for it and grab it firmly. No matter what, potential was only potential and not actual strength. He would have to work really hard if he hoped to gain the latter. He could still make out Jonas' figure, nearly obscured by the half a meter wide ball of flame just in front of him. Unlike Valerian he did not seem to be under any duress. He wasn't sweating nor did his skin get flushed by the flames despite being so close to them. He didn't even look concerned. Seeing that cool, confident figure only made Valerian more determined. He wanted that. He would have it. No matter how hard it was, he resolved. The ball of fire suddenly disappeared. One second it was there the next it wasn't. The only evidence of its existence a sweaty eight year old, some scorched grass and the residual heat. Valerian's wide eyes opened even wider if that were possible. Jonas got up and after brushing down his robes walked towards him. "That was a sample of the second tier fire spell, Fireball", he said in an even tone. He did not apologise for not warning him nor did he explain why he did what he did. He just marched up and continued like they were still sitting and chatting on the stone benches. Unease flashed in Valerian's eyes. That display of power had shown him that his uncle wasn't as simple as he thought. Particularly the ending. If that fireball had appeared as quickly as it had vanished, there was no way he wouldn't be injured right now. After all he had been sitting right in front of the man. Jonas on the other hand was quite satisfied with the way things played out. Gauging Valerian's reactions had allowed him to assess his three Cs. The three Cs were something his own mentor had tested him on and explained to him. They were three factors essential for practicing the arcane arts. The first C was caution, second was curiosity and the third courage. The arcane path was very dangerous. Without the first C, an arcanist would not live long. The path required constant study and experimentation so without the second, that arcanist would not make much progress. Finally it entailed a lot of risk, and chances to be taken. This required courage or the arcanist was doomed to mediocrity. Valerian had not been dumb enough to sit still with a fireball so close to him and he knew to make space when he saw it grow. He did not wait for someone to warn him or save him nor did he stupidly think that his uncle was above hurting him. This proved that he was cautious. In the face of danger he had not run rather he stayed and observed. He had even questioned him. This in addition to his bookish traits showed was both curious and courageous. Jonas was rather satisfied with this. Intelligence and talent were great boon to cultivation but they were not everything. The arcane path was very harsh on all who walked it. Without the three Cs and a lot of hard work no arcanist would ever amount to anything. Jonas himself had surpassed many with far better prospective results than his. He was fully convinced now that his decision to mentor his nephew was not wrong. The boy would go far and he will be one of the people to push his cart there. "I Jonas son of John, The Burst Blaze, Arcane Lord of the fire attribute, Array master of the second circle, Scion of the house of Steelborn am willing to take you Valerian son of Valiant of the house of Steelborn, Prospect of the arcane path as my student. Do you accept?" Valerian was shocked and confused. He could tell that this was not something to be taken lightly. The tone it was delivered in alone revealed that to take of the language used. He was confused because he thought Jonas had already been chosen as his teacher. He voiced this. "Aren't I already your student?" Jonas suddenly realised that maybe he should have discussed this with him before making his proclamation. Quickly he explained what it was he doing and its significance. Arcanists were proud people. As cultivators on the route to immortality and people blessed the ability to dominate the natural world they possessed a certain arrogance and it showed in what they did. It was customary for them to announce themselves names, titles and all when they met. A proper introduction was required in formal gatherings, duels and other events of significance. This done he repeated himself. "I Jonas son of John, The Burst Blaze, Arcane Lord of the fire attribute, Array master of the second circle, Scion of the house of Steelborn am willing to take you Valerian son of Valiant of the house of Steelborn, Prospect of the arcane path as my student. Do you accept?" Now understanding what his role was Valerian did not hesitate. "I Valerian son of Valiant, prospect of the arcane path, Scion of the house of Steelborn, am willing and honoured to be your student". Jonas nodded happily. Despite this he felt a small pang of pain and sadness in his heart. Student not apprentice. This was a major detail for arcanists. A student you taught but an apprentice you trained, you passed legacies down to, you raised, you handed down your hopes and dreams for him or her to complete. He was sad because he was not qualified to have Valerian as an apprentice. In fact he was unqualified to have anyone as his apprentice. He was still too low on the power chart and more importantly he had no legacies or spells to hand down. He comforted himself with the fact that it would not always be the case. He will eventually make a name for himself and have numerous apprentices. In addition, teaching Valerian was sure to be good practise for when they finally came around. "Before I teach you magic there are some things you must know. First off, what I did back there was use a spell. It allowed me to collect world essence and shape it into a ball of fire. That is how the arcane arts work. World essence is a strange and powerful force. It is dense and all attributed. Every element is present in it; fire, water, metal, wind, etc. What an arcanist does is that using his own essence he summons the surrounding essence and places it under his control. Then he shapes it, converts it into whatever element or attribute he wants and uses it. In my case I summoned fire attributed essence, concentrated it in my palm and shaped it into a sphere. I can then fire it at someone or use it for something else". ‘Like scare your student you mean', Valerian thought. He kept his mouth shut though. "However that requires control over arcane energy something you do not have so our first task will be to help you find your energy and control it". "Find it?" Valerian asked a surprised look on his face. "Yes find it! Or have you already discovered it?" Jonas asked expectantly. Valerian quickly shook his head. He would know if he had a world warping energy at his fingertips or sloshing about in his gut. Jonas on his part corrected his expression. It was too much to hope for that Valerian would have already made contact with his arcane energy. It seemed he might have gotten too used to his nephew performing incredible feats. While contacting your arcane energy on your own wasn't too difficult it required some stimulus such as danger which wasn't something a sheltered boy like Valerian would have experienced. "People like you who possess arcane energy but have not accessed it yet are called prospects. Once you've done so you will have officially stepped on the arcane path as an Arcane Disciple. However it is not so easy to be an arcane disciple. It is the first step and the foundation for your career as an arcanist and thus requires special preparation. It is split into five sub-stages which are, the arcane baptism, energy gathering, arcane manifestation, sea formation and the energy condensed stages. Only when these are achieved can a person truly be called an arcane disciple. Thus arcane disciples who have completed all these steps are called true or consolidated arcane disciples. The arcane baptism requires you to use your newly acquired arcane energy to transform your body into a vessel capable of absorbing world essence and transforming it into arcane energy. The energy gathering stage is where you begin training your energy, and as the name implies increase it thanks to your arcane baptism. Once you have a sizeable amount you can then extend it outside your body in the arcane manifestation stage. It is at this stage that you can cast spells. The majority of the disciple realm though involves the gathering of arcane energy. This is with the intention of creating a sea of arcane energy within the body to support the drain of spells. Once this is done this sea can then be condensed into an arcane crystal in the final stage aptly named the energy condensation stage. It is only when the arcane crystal is formed that a person can be called a true arcane disciple". As such our current goal is to help you make contact with your arcane energy. Then you can use the Manifold Elemental Incarnations to perform your baptism. Once that is done I can begin teaching you what I know about the arcane arts". Valerian was excited now. How could he not be? He was on the cusp of becoming an actual arcanist. Soon he too would be able to conjure balls of fire to fling at his enemies. Maybe not fire but wind and metal were definitely assured. Finding his arcane energy was simple. The only reason he couldn't control it was because he was unaware of it. All he had to do was bring it under his perception. This could be done by having someone insert his own arcane energy into his body to stimulate his own, or use an array to accomplish the same thing. Valerian opted for the array method. He sat cross-legged in the array, having been placed in a special introspective state. Honestly, Valerian had never felt anything like it. He was hyperaware of himself, his immediate surroundings and most of all his internal state. He could feel his heart pumping and the blood that flowed through his veins. He could even follow it as it meandered through his body's pathways and dispersed into his organs. His mind was focused and his perception honed and aimed at himself. Jonas assured him that it was a meditative state that he would learn to enter on his own. That it was a simple, core skill for all cultivators. In the beginning it was fine if his trainer helped him enter it but eventually he had to learn it on his own. Thankfully it was not difficult to learn. All the same, Valerian was more concerned with sensing his arcane energy at the moment. He felt nothing which made him wonder whether Jonas had begun or not. It was at this point that he felt a now familiar and uncomfortable tingling sensation. Immediately his inner world trembled and he felt it. It was like the clouds had parted and the sunlight was streaming in illuminating a previously hidden part of him. A part he had never known. He sent his sense diving in. He perceived it as a giant agitated pool rumbling with tumultuous waves. Instinctively he knew it wasn't supposed to be this way. It should be calm, tranquil. ‘The array must be causing this', he realised. Reaching out to it with his mind he tried to calm it. Instantly the waves stopped. He looked on amazed as what had just been choppy water became peaceful with a mere thought. For a while all he could do was test just how much control he had over it. He raised his own waves, parted it, shaped it into orbs that whizzed around. Even raised the entire pool hundreds of meters up and caused it to fall back down as rain. He was having so much fun he nearly forgot what he was meant to be doing but once he remembered he immediately got to work. ------------------------------- Jonas looked at Valerian with concern. Technically the process was harmless but this was the first time he was on this side of things and with his first student too so he was justifiably nervous. Which is why relief flooded his face when he felt Valerian's energy surge and then begin to circulate throughout his body. Clearly the boy had started employing the Manifold Elemental Incarnations like he was supposed to. He could feel the world essence in the area swirl and converge around him. "How is it going?" he heard a voice ask. He turned around confirming that it was his aunt who had spoken. He glanced around to see the rest of the family also revealing themselves. He wasn't surprised though he had felt their presences from the very beginning. It was Valerian's first training session so of course they'd come. "Everything seems fine. It is even going better than expected". Aunt Clara laughed softly. "That's Valerian for you. Always exceeding expectations". Richard was next to speak. "What's next?" "Well he is supposed to circulate his energy in accordance with the method throughout his body for at least thirty complete cycles. Then he will start using it to perform his baptism", Jonas replied. "So we wait?" his brother surmised. "Yes!" he admitted. He took a long look at his nephew siting there in the middle of the courtyard. Then dismissing the array in place he created a completely new one. This one had two circles and its function was to gather world essence around Valerian. ‘That ought to cut the time down somewhat', he thought. Then he settled down on one of the stone benches to wait with the rest of the family.
Thank you for your honest opinion Lucinia! I completely understand where you are coming from. I have given him the genius package, true. His parents are missing - an obvious plot point, also true. I understand your misgivings with the story's setup but I'd like you to continue reading. Obviously I won't spoil but I hope to have a lot fun contradicting your first impression and surprising you whilst making it fun for you as well.
Chapter Eight: Harriers and Cluders Spoiler Valerian's first lesson with Richard was exactly how he expected it to be. A set of training clothes was given to him the night before and when the sun rose Richard came for him and dragged him, drowsy as he was to the courtyard. So Valerian stood there in his new leather outfit, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes in front of a frowning armoured giant. "Sharpen up!" Richard commanded. Valerian tried, he really did. He knew the kind of man his uncle was. Curt, strict and direct. He didn't mince words and on account of his throat injury he didn't like to speak much either. He was the second most feared person in the manor and the most obviously dangerous. He was someone Valerian looked up to as a model of what a warrior should be. He didn't want to disappoint the man. But getting dragged out of bed at sunrise was disorientating. He now understood the complaints of the other manor guards. Looking up he saw Richard staring at him with a frown still on his face. "Run a lap around the courtyard", the man barked at him. On account of his drowsiness it took a few seconds before the words registered. Once they did his nearly halted. ‘Wait... what?' he tried a half-hearted attempt to get out of it. It didn't work but he managed to compose himself enough to claim that he was fully awake. The cold frown on his uncle's face stopped him though. It was clear that he wasn't getting out of it. --------------------------------- It turned out that the run did wake him up. It left him tired and panting, but awake. He put his all into it hoping to at least impress the giant in front of him but he had no such luck. There was not even a hint of a change in the man's expression. It almost made him want to complain but he knew full well that it would get him nowhere. The guards that did usually had their training doubled. "The tellurian path is not an easy one. It requires a fit body and a lot of physical training. The body is a vessel and the better the vessel the better the qi that can be stored in it. Thus to be a tellurian is to have a well-trained body. In addition to this, tellurians focus on physical combat which is impossible to use effectively without training. I will be responsible for yours". He paused here with a look of discomfort on his face. Valerian was worried. The scar running down his jaw looked extra red today. He wondered why. He knew that his uncle had been in the army at one point and had gotten severely injured in a mission. So injured in fact, he was bedridden for a half a year. He had to relearn how to talk and walk. His cultivation even declined. However when he recovered he pushed himself so hard, he not only regained his former level, he surpassed it. It was even suspected that he was about to break into the king tier. All this Valerian had learnt from listening to the guards talk. It was one of the reasons he so respected the man. Anyone who could suffer such wounds, survive and make such a dramatic comeback was more than worth the respect. "The tellurian path is separated into seven tiers; Practitioner, Lord, King, Emperor, Sage, World Incarnate and Divinity. But being a tellurian is not as simple as using qi, accomplishing feats and breaking through the tiers. First you have to transform your physical form. Using world essence and a chosen cultivation method you first have to transform your bones strengthening them and improving your marrow. Then your flesh so as to give you not only a strong frame but also dense, powerful musculature. Once this is done you may then open your meridians allowing you to channel qi throughout your body, completing your transformation and allowing you to use the battle skills and enhancements that tellurians are known for. Once you have gathered enough qi you may condense it into a core crystal and become a true tellurian practitioner". "All this though is a matter of cultivation. Something you will do on your own according to the clan's Great Monolithic Art. My mission is to sculpt you into a warrior and train you to fight. This does not mean that your cultivation and my training are separate. If you have any questions or run into any problems you tell me is that clear?" "Yes sir!" Valerian exclaimed. Richard's eyes swept him for a moment and then nodded. "Every day after you wake up you will come here. Under my supervision you will perform a series of drills and exercises before we move on to actual combat training. You may then leave and practise cultivation while I discharge my duties", again he paused to check if Valerian was following. "For combat we will be practising the family's greatest martial art; The Fighting Arts Of Harry and Clude. Harry and Clude were ancestors of ours. They were twin tellurian combat geniuses who came up with an incredible fighting style that has become the official style of the entire clan. Its principles focus on teamwork and the maximisation of defence and attack. "The two brothers went everywhere together and did everything together. Whenever they had a task to do they would split it into two and each would take half. Fighting was no different. Clude the older one would defend and Harry would attack. It was simple and effective. Whilst Clude grabbed the enemy's attention and blocked the attacks Harry would seize the opportunity to finish them off. "This does not mean that Harry could not protect himself or that Clude was incapable of attacking. Anyone not careful when facing Clude would get a shield bash to the face and a blade to the gut. Each just had a primary focus and together they covered each other's weaknesses whilst maximising group effectiveness. That is why it is required training for all Steelborns. It is a fighting style that maximises team efficiency and was created and developed with our legacy in mind. Attacks and defenders working side by side. "Due to the origin of the fighting style attackers are informally known as Harriers whilst defenders are called Cluders. You will be taught the basics of both arts after which you will specialise in whichever one you lean towards. Any questions?" "Which are you Uncle Richard?" Valerian couldn't help but ask. "I am an expert at both but I usually act as a cluder. Anything else?" Valerian thought a little before asking, stroking his chin in a manner that nearly made the stern warrior chuckle. "Uncle Richard, you mentioned that the Fighting Arts of Harry and Clude are developed from and can maximise our clan's legacy. Elder Foreson also mentioned that with my strength I probably possess the clan legacy but I still don't know what the clan legacy is". "I see..." Richard said his soft voice. It only took him a second to make a decision and it was very dramatic too. His entire form twitched, convulsed and then expanded right before Valerian's stunned eyes. Richard who was naturally seven foot two shot up till he was a little over three meters tall. He didn't just grow taller. That same multiplication factor was applied to every aspect of his body be it width or musculature. His skin became a steely grey and hair turned into quill-like bristles. Large steel spikes even shot out from his shoulders, elbows, knuckles, heels and knees. If he looked dangerous before he now looked like a terror no one would like to meet on a dark night. Valerian didn't have to be told to know that this form had increased his power by a large margin. Strangely though his armour stayed on perfectly. Gauntlets, greaves, breastplate, nothing was broken. In fact it looked like it had become part of him. "This the Steel Monolith transformation, our clan's top blood legacy. It appears in eight out ten clan members with innate metal attributes. There are some who go as far as to call this our true forms. It gives us incredibly strong, dense, durable bodies. Even in my normal form I am able to put out a little over fifty tonnes per arm. The transformation quadruples my strength and increases my speed by fifteen per cent. My defence becomes so great that steel shatters when it strikes me". Valerian was stunned. "Y-your armour?" he blurted out. "A special design from the clan's artificers to account for our legacy". Valerian looked up to the three meter tall giant in front of him stars shining in his eyes. "Uncle Richard, you're so cool! How come I never knew about this stuff? How did we get such a cool transformation?" Richard shifted uneasily, uncomfortable with both the adoration being shown and the follow up questions. He thought it was stupid that Valerian had been sheltered from this for so long but he held his tongue. It had not been his decision to make but the magistrate's. So instead of answering the question he reverted to normal and he diverted the conversation. "You should understand what legacies really are. They are inheritances or endowments. The important things handed down in martial families from generation to generation. There are two types of legacies; material and blood legacies. The cultivation methods, secret arts even the fighting arts of Harry and Clude as well as legacy equipment like my armour are considered material legacies. Basically the physical things the clan accumulates, develops or gains that are passed down. "Blood legacies are different. They are passed down the family's bloodline itself. Only by being born into that family would a person have access to these legacies. Our Steelborn clan has two. The Steel Monolith Transformation and the StormHawk's Wings. The first I have shown you, the second however I do not possess as it only appears in those who have the innate wind attribute and at a far lower frequency than the first. We are the only clan in the viscounty to have two blood legacies". "Wow! We are so powerful!" Valerian exclaimed. ‘Only in some respects', Richard thought to himself. Outwardly though he said, "Enough about that. The daylight grows stronger and yet we have yet to truly begin". "Here!" he said waving his hand. Immediately a pile of metal pieces appeared on the floor. Upon closer inspection Valerian realised they were pieces of armour. He looked up to his uncle knowing the man had used an interspatial ring to make them appear as they did. Interspatial rings were incredible artefacts. They could be blood bound preventing anyone but the owner from using them and contained an empty miniature dimension in them for storage. The sizes differed depending on the grade of the ring though. "What are you waiting for? Put them on!" his uncle bellowed. Springing into action Valerian reached for the pile and begun to pull out the armour pieces. Greaves, sabatons, gauntlets, breastplate, tassets, pauldrons and poleyns all made from a heavy dark metal were grabbed and put on over the leather clothes he was wearing. He struggled a lot doing so but he was aware of his uncles trained gaze on him and so put in all his effort. "Not bad for you first time. Nonetheless you must remember that your armour is your lifeline. You must be able to outfit yourself without aid in as short a time as possible. Practise! You must have the process down to five minutes by the end of the week. Is that clear?" came his uncle's comment. "Yes sir!" Valerian exclaimed. However seeing that his uncle was about to move on he quickly asked. "Uncle Richard, I've noticed that you and elders only seem to wear certain armour pieces. Even what you've given me conforms to this. Why only these? Is it some sort of uniform? The clan's chosen style perhaps? Would it not be better to wear the full plate?" Richard's eyebrow rose sharply. He hadn't expected the subject to come up so quickly. He knew the boy was smart, inquisitive and observant but due to not interacting with him often he was unclear on the extent of his mental prowess. Hadn't he caught on too quickly? His eyes narrowed. Just how much did he notice and how much did he know. He resolved to speak with Alfred on this. Perhaps the child's minder would shed some light on this. "It is the clan's chosen style and for a large number of reasons. Remember this, every protection has its weak spots and full plate is no exception. A skilled opponent knows to attack the weak spots in an opponent's defence and protections. Our armour is designed with our fighting style in mind. Clude's in particular. How, I will explain shortly. Just know that we are not as exposed as we look. Remember our transformation and its defensive abilities? The armour works with that. "Additionally it designed to work as a reinforcing set. It possesses the ability to fortify the qi barrier that naturally surrounds tellurians and is able to spread its defensive properties all over the body using it as medium to connect all the pieces together and employ their full capabilities. Nevertheless, the true purpose of the armour is to facilitate the fighting arts of Harry and Clude. "We'll start working on those shortly. But you should know that each set of armour is tailor made and that they are actually essence artefacts, capable of being blood bound and requiring qi to display their full capabilities" he elaborated. This caused Valerian to take another look at the dark metal pieces fitted over his leather outfit. Only now did he noticed how well it all fit and how well the ensemble went together. ‘When and how did they get my measurements?' he questioned. He was quite happy with it especially now that he knew its significance. Plus it looked very cool. "I get an artefact. Awesome!" he yelled. "Not yours though", Richard pointed out. "It's not an artefact. Just a set of training equipment". "What? Why?" he complained with a pout. He stopped however when he saw his uncle smiling. It was the first time that day he had seen anything other than a frown or a stern look on the man's face. He couldn't help but wonder what caused him to smile so. "Why? First off you will outgrow that very soon. Second if it was, you would be the only who could control it and I wouldn't be able to do this". At that last word, glyphs on Valerian's armour started glowing. Startled he glanced towards them not knowing what to do. Then his armour started to get heavier. It was like a crushing pressure was spreading all over his body weighing him down rather than just those pieces getting heaver. ‘The reinforcing effect!' he realised. The pieces were working together just like his uncle said. Richard looked on, smiling widely just like his own trainer did when he was on the receiving end. Now he knew how it felt to be on this end. He waited a bit for Valerian to regain his composure and then it was business as usual. "Straighten up! It's not that heavy", he barked. He nearly chuckled when he saw the venomous look Valerian threw him. "From now on you will do everything wearing that armour. There are other sets of leather clothes in your closet for you to change into when your current set gets dirty. Armour care however is your responsibility. So after this session you are to go the manor's quartermaster. He will teach you how to take care of your armour. Is that clear?" Valerian couldn't answer, only nod. "Good! We will go through some stretches and then I will teach you some stances". Valerian could only groan. In his mind he knew that this was just the beginning. Who knew what else was in store?